Letters

Pages

Re “How the World Will End,” by Paul Almonte (11/28): Sixty years ago in a high school senior English class, Sister Rose Margaret recommended a small jewel of a paperback: Mr. Blue. It was love at first “read.” Who wouldn’t love J. Blue? Sister’s additional recommendation, Gift From the Sea , completed a duet of treasured classics that remains on my shelf. Rereading them at various stages of...

Re “Answering Our Daughters,” by Helen M. Alvaré (11/14): The author leaves us with much to ponder and the beginnings of a fruitful dialogue that could lead to meaningful change. Some will overinterpret her message and call for immediate clerical changes, while others will abhor the author for even suggesting that the change in women’s societal role requires a response from the church.What is clear...

Re “Unjust Discrimination” (Editorial, 11/7): There are many sins that are public, especially these days. Unmarried couples living together; thieves caught red-handed; witnesses lying under oath; healthy, registered members of the church who never make it to Mass—the list could go on and on. Why indeed are gay people such targets for public censure? Jesus was a just judge, but can we say that about...

Re “Building on Diversity,” by Tara García Mathewson (10/31): Ecelente artículo Sra. Garcia . My family lives on the East Coast, and my career is in the medical field. We attend the cathedral in our diocese as our parish and I was a member at one time on the cathedral social justice committee.

Whenever I suggested that we should do outreach to Latinos in our area to my committee colleagues, I met siloed...

Re “In Praise of Politics,” (Editorial 10/24): It seems to me that disillusionment extends far beyond politics. We look to our church and its leaders for unity and to speak out against those who treat the gift of life so poorly. We, the congregation, need our priests, church leaders and organizations to be on the same page with us in denouncing the reality of evil that clearly divides...

Re “A Hispanic Moment?” (Editorial 10/17): Engaging diversity and social justice in our society is a moral and ethical obligation, especially if one aligns oneself with Christ's teachings. “Othering” people is a basic tenet of racism and xenophobia—if we are devaluing another's life experience or cultural heritage we are culpable of such. The church is a source of major...

Re “Freedom to Serve” (Editorial, 10/10): The editors have failed to note the difference between civil and religious spheres. While Americans are entitled to their religious beliefs and practices and moral codes, in the public sphere they are not entitled to impose them on others. Belief that all marriage must be heterosexual does not entitle one to enforce that belief on others...

In “The Power of the Word” (10/3), Greg Erlandson writes, “For the Catholic press to survive...it will need more than lukewarm support or elitist disdain.” This is one of the more puzzling comments in the article about what the Catholic press should do to survive. Another strange element of this article is Mr. Erlandson’s advocacy for withholding church news until it...

Re “ An Open Invitation” (Reply All, 9/26): The reaction of the distinguished group of Catholic school leaders to Charles Zech’s article, “Reinventing Catholic Schools” (8/29), was very disappointing. They missed Mr. Zech’s main thrust: In a time of limited resources, the Catholic school system has to prioritize and use its resources in the most strategic fashion.

Re “Step Up on Syrian Refugees” (Current Comment, 9/19): The editors’ comment on the Syrian refugee issue is certainly needed and welcome, but America continues to miss the important distinction between asylum and immigration. Thus the statement that “few immigrants to the United States will be as thoroughly vetted as these Syrians seeking asylum.” If what they are seeking...